Drive-by shooting suspect's cellphone, personnel records sought

LAKE STEVENS -- Investigators have sought cellphone and Boeing personnel records for the Marysville man accused of gunning down 15-year-old Molly Conley last month. Detectives searched Erick Walker's house and vehicle after his June 28 arrest. Five bullets recovered from a string of drive-by shootings allegedly match two handguns seized from his house. No bullets were found at the scene of the homicide.Investigators, however, believe that cellphone records may confirm that Walker was in Lake Stevens at the time Molly was shot, according to newly filed search warrants obtained by The Herald. Walker is charged with murder in connection with Molly's death. The Seattle teen was shot once in the neck June 1 while she and some classmates were walking back from Wyatt Park. The father of one of her friends lives in Lake Stevens.Three passersby attempted life-saving efforts but Molly, nicknamed "4.0" because of her good grades, died at the scene. Walker, 27, also is accused of firing at several houses between Lake Stevens and Marysville in the hours after the fatal shooting. He remains in the county jail on $5 million bail.So far, police have not revealed any connection between the suspect and any of the victims. In the search warrants, detectives spell out what information they expect to get from Walker's cellphone records. They indicate that even if the phone wasn't being used at the time, it likely still would communicate with nearby cell towers. The towers generally record GPS coordinates for subscribers, which could help investigators prove whether Walker was in the area.The Marysville man allegedly gave conflicting accounts of his whereabouts after his shift at Boeing, where he is a mechanic. He initially denied being in Lake Stevens, but later told detectives that he got lost looking for a restaurant. Detectives recovered a credit card receipt putting Walker at an Everett pub about an hour before the shooting, court papers said.Investigators also sought Walker's personnel file from Boeing. They asked for copies of his time cards to determine when he was working. They received some initial information that Walker didn't show up for work June 1, which would conflict with what he told detectives. Additionally, the detectives sought any records that document disciplinary action against Walker, and any complaints filed by him or against him.The search warrant also says detectives recovered video footage from at least two surveillance cameras in Lake Stevens. One was from a home on S. Davies Road and the other was from an espresso stand in the area. The video from the house reportedly captures Molly and her friends walking to the park and later walking back. The video also shows at least one dark-colored vehicle passing the girls and then making a U-turn and heading back toward the group of girls. The car is seen on the video about seven minutes before the fatal shooting is reported to 911.Walker drives a black Pontiac G6 coupe. Detectives say paint chips and damage to Walker's car are consistent with evidence left when the shooter's vehicle crashed into a car parked at one of the drive-by shootings, just blocks from the man's home.Police are analyzing the footage to determine if the car seen on the video matches Walker's. Among other things, they are attempting to re-create the video to determine if the car that made the U-turn the night Molly died is a Pontiac G6 coupe.Walker told detectives his car was damaged at work. His father told police that he helped his son replace a damaged headlight a couple of weeks after the shooting. The man had kept the light and turned it over to police, according to the search warrant.Investigators seized numerous guns from Walker's home. They also seized numerous drawings. Several reportedly depict images of violent deaths and figures armed with weapons. One drawing depicts a man walking down a roadway carrying what appears to be an unconscious female, court papers said. Police also noted that dozens of shooting-themed video games in Walker's home.When detectives asked Walker's father what his son does for entertainment, the man said he plays video games. He told police that his son owns hundreds of video games. Walker's Facebook page includes a prominent photo showing several firearms laid out on tables.Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.

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